Online Timer — Free Countdown, Stopwatch, Pomodoro
Browser-based timer with countdown, stopwatch, and Pomodoro modes. Configurable alarms, dark mode, presets. Free, no signup.
About Timer & Stopwatch
An online timer counts down a configurable duration with an audible/visual alarm at zero — used for cooking, workouts, Pomodoro work intervals, presentations, and any activity needing time-boxing. The ZTools Online Timer offers three modes: countdown (count down from N), stopwatch (count up), and Pomodoro (25-minute work + 5-minute break cycles, customisable). Browser-based with full audio control, dark mode, presets (5/10/15/30/60 minutes; standard Pomodoro), and tab-title updates so the timer is visible even when the tab is in the background.
Use cases
- Pomodoro productivity. 25 minutes focused work + 5 minutes break × 4 cycles = ~2 hours of structured deep work. Standard Pomodoro Technique since 1980s.
- Workouts / HIIT. Interval training: 30-second sprint + 30-second rest × 8 rounds. Timer announces each transition.
- Cooking / kitchen. Multiple parallel timers for different dishes. Phone app limits simultaneous timers; browser tab is unlimited.
- Presentation / meeting time-boxing. Each speaker gets 5 minutes. Timer enforces; visible on shared screen.
- Game / quiz time limits. Countdown for puzzle / trivia / coding-challenge solving.
How it works
- Pick mode. Countdown / stopwatch / Pomodoro.
- Set duration. Hours / minutes / seconds. Or pick a preset (1m, 5m, 15m, 30m, 1h).
- Start. Begins immediately; can pause/resume.
- Tab title updates. Browser tab title shows remaining time — visible when tab is in background.
- Alarm at zero. Audio (configurable; mute available) + visual flash + browser notification (with permission).
- Pomodoro mode. Auto-cycles work + break, tracks completed cycles, shows session progress.
Examples
Input: 25-minute Pomodoro
Output: Counts down 25:00 → 0:00; auto-rolls into 5-minute break; repeats.
Input: HIIT 30s/30s × 8
Output: 8 cycles of work+rest; alarm at each transition.
Input: Cooking: 12-minute pasta + 5-minute sauce
Output: Two parallel timers; both alert independently.
Frequently asked questions
Will the timer keep running if I close the tab?
No — timer stops when tab closes. Keep the tab open in the background.
Will it work if I lock my computer?
Most browsers throttle background tabs (1 tick/second instead of more frequent). The timer remains accurate but UI updates may lag. Audio alarm fires on time.
Can I get a desktop notification?
Yes — grant notification permission once; alerts at zero + Pomodoro transitions appear as system notifications.
Is the audio mute respected?
Yes — system mute and per-tab mute both respected. For silent environments, use the visual flash + desktop notification.
How accurate is it?
Sub-second accuracy on active tabs; ±1 second on backgrounded tabs (browser throttling).
Multiple timers?
Yes — open multiple browser tabs; each runs independently.
Pro tips
- For Pomodoro, use 25/5 to start; experiment with 50/10 once 25/5 feels easy.
- Grant notification permission for cross-tab alerts — useful when working in another window.
- For interval training, set up the timer beforehand; don't fiddle mid-workout.
- Tab title updates make this perfect for multi-tasking — glance at tab to see time left.
- Bookmark for one-click access; reload restores last-used preset.
Reviewed by Ahsan Mahmood · Last updated 2026-05-06 · Part of ZTools.
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